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Bread and olive oil are delicious on their own, but together they are a match made in heaven! This oil mix is an explosion of Mediterranean flavors: herbaceous oregano and za’atar, savory garlic and parmesan, and a kick of spicy chili flakes. Then you dip in some soft Italian bread or crusty ciabatta? Fuhgeddaboudit!
While my favorite application for bread dipping oil is, well, dipping bread in it, this mixture also makes an incredible marinade for chicken and steak! Just hold the parmesan and thank me later. Pro tip: serve the meat over your favorite pasta. Homemade chicken alfredo, anyone?
For more dip ideas, try my Dirty Martini Dip, Easy Cheesy Pimento Dip, Butter Board, Whipped Feta Dip, and Whipped Ricotta Dip.
Mediterranean Dipping Oil Recipe
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sumac
- 1 teaspoon za’atar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
- 2 garlic cloves, grated or minced
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon capers, chopped
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 loaf bread, sliced, for serving (I used a French loaf!)
Directions
Add the olive oil to a shallow bowl. Stir in the sumac, za’atar, oregano, chili flakes, garlic, lemon zest, capers, salt, pepper, and parmesan until evenly distributed.
Serve with the bread on the side for dipping.
Note: Not hosting? Make this dip in a jar instead of a bowl so you can enjoy it for more than just one meal! Store refrigerated for up to 5 days–just make sure to shake it up before serving.
How To Make an Easy Bread Dipping Oil
- Gather ingredients.
- Add the olive oil to a shallow bowl.
- Add the sumac, za’atar, oregano, and chili flakes.
- Add the garlic, lemon zest, and capers.
- Add the salt, pepper, and Parmesan.
- Stir together until combined and evenly distributed. Serve with the bread on the side for dipping.
Italian Oil Mix Variations
As with all of my recipes, I want you to feel empowered to make it your own! You can tweak the flavors to lean more towards your favorite cuisine, like Italian–just drop the sumac and za’atar. See? It’s easy! Try swapping in or adding any of these ingredients or dream up your own flavor combo:
- Fresh parsley: sprinkle on top for a zing of freshness
- Calabrian chili pepper: swap in for the chili flakes for a spicier bite
- Balsamic vinegar: swirl into the oil for some tang to break up the richness
- Fresh rosemary: swap in for the oregano and za’atar for a more citrus-forward herb flavor (pair with lemon zest!)
- Fresh thyme: swap in or add for some added herby flavors
- Caramelized onions: mix in for some depth of flavor and nice bite
- Pickled red onion: instead of vinegar, mix these in for tang and substance
- Flaky salt: sprinkle on top for some extra savory flavor
- Sun-dried tomatoes: mix in for some roasty, sweetness
- Honey: drizzle in for a hint of sweetness (hot honey is delicious too!)
Best Olive Oil for Dipping Bread
Extra-virgin olive oil is the OG when it comes to dipping bread because of its robust flavor and Italian heritage! Some folks use cold-pressed extra-virgin avocado oil, which is a great substitute, but I’m an olive oil gal! I would not recommend using a neutral oil like canola or vegetable.
What exactly does extra-virgin mean? Extra-virgin olive oil is cold-pressed and unrefined, meaning it’s not processed using chemicals or heat, giving it the distinctive dark color and rich, peppery flavor we all know and love. Its lighter, less flavorful counterpart without the extra-virgin designation, sometimes called light olive oil, is best used for cooking.
Olive Oil in Mediterranean Cuisine
Olive oil has been around for over 6,000 years and remains an essential ingredient in most Mediterranean cuisines, like Greek, Italian, Turkish, Moroccan, Spanish, and Egyptian, to name a few. But extra-virgin olive oil is not just delicious–some studies have also found that it reduces blood pressure, lowers “bad” cholesterol, and helps regulate blood glucose levels.
Ever heard of the Mediterranean diet? According to America’s Test Kitchen, “the Mediterranean diet is about what [the] cuisines have in common: a daily emphasis on vegetables and fruits, beans and lentils, whole grains, more seafood than meat and poultry, and heart-healthy olive oil.”
Don’t just take their word for it! Hippocrates, the physician and philosopher from Ancient Greece known as “the father of medicine,” called olive oil “the great healer.”
Best Bread for Dipping in Oil
The most important thing is to get bread that you enjoy eating on its own–if you ask me, that’s every kind of bread! The second most important thing is getting bread that’s soft enough that it will hold the oil. I particularly like bread that’s soft on the inside and crusty on the outside.
- Focaccia (especially filled with olives and/or sun-dried tomatoes)
- Ciabatta
- Semolina
- Pagnotta (Italian Round Bread)
- Pane di casa (a rustic Italian loaf)
- Boule
- Olive bread
Gluten-Free Bread for Dipping
Make your own no-knead gluten-free bread recipe or try:
Show Me Your Olive Oil Dip
I hope this post inspires you to make this bread dipping oil. Nothing makes me happier than seeing the snacks and apps you create from my tips. If you make something inspired by this post, please tag me at @ainttooproudtomeg so I can see and share!
And, If you liked this recipe, please rate and review.
Bread Dipping Oil Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp sumac
- 1 tsp za'atar
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp chili flakes
- 2 garlic cloves grated or minced
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp capers chopped
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 loaf fresh bread for serving
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a shallow bowl. Stir in the sumac, za’atar, oregano, chili flakes, garlic, lemon zest, capers, salt, pepper, and parmesan until evenly distributed.
- Serve with the bread on the side for dipping.
